Oregon Deer Hunting Laws and Regulations

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Oregon Deer Impact, Ecology and Populations

There are thousands of Deer state wide. The estimated economic impact of Oregon deer hunting is $300 million annually. There are also Elk and Antelope. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is in charge of monitoring deer regarding numbers, managed hunts, enforcing laws and regulations. They monitor the balance of deer in relation to economic, ecological and safety needs of the state. They implement programs designed to control the deer population.

Damage from deer includes farm crops, plant extinction, forest damage, yard damage, plant extinction, forest damage car accidents and the spread of disease. They monitor the deer population for diseases such as Chronic wasting disease, tuberculosis, lyme disease and parasites. There were an estimated 9,200 Car-Deer collisions in 2010. The 2010 Deer Harvest was 44,239. There were 180,039 hunters in 2010. The 2010 Elk Harvest was 36,782.

Oregon Deer Hunting Laws & Regulations

To hunt big game you must have in possession a valid hunting license and a big game tag valid for the dates, area, and species being hunted. A resident does not need a license to hunt on land upon which the person resides and is owned by the person or a member of the person’s immediate family, unless they are hunting a species for which a tag is required. Game mammals may only be hunted from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. No Person Shall Shoot from or across a public rd, rd right-of-way or railroad right-of-way, except that persons legally hunting on closed roads within Cooperative Travel Management Areas are not violating current prohibitions on shooting from or across a public Rd. The same is true for other rds closed to us. The owner of a game mammal tag that kills a game mammal for which a tag is issued, shall immediately remove in its entirety only the month and day of kill and attach the tag in plain sight securely to the game mammal. The tag shall be kept attached to such carcass or remain with any parts thereof so long as the same are preserved. You cannot hunt any game mammal with dog. You cannot use an artificial light for Oregon deer hunting or for any big game. No Person Shall: Hunt on cultivated or enclosed land of another without permission

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently monitoring important diseases to determine their presence and effect on Oregon’s big game populations. To accomplish this, ODFW’s veterinary staff are asking hunters for their assistance obtaining samples from harvested game animals. Hunters are asked to bring their harvested game animals to department offices or check stations.